Acoustical ceiling construction



April 6, 1935. J. H. NOLD ET AL 1,997,595

ACOUSTICAL CEILING CONSTRUCTION Filed July so, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fl [:1- 5 F5- 8 INVENTORS JoH/vHA/oLo. FIa N/(LSTUBBS ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 16, 1935 v UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE 1,997,595 ACOUSTIGAL CEILING CONSTRUCTION John H. Nold, Hinsdale, and Frank L. Stubbs, Western Springs, 111., assignors to United States Gypsum Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application July 30, 1932, Serial No. 626,898

16 Claims. (01. 189-85) This invention relates to building construc- Figs. 5, 6, and '7 are sectional elevations through tions, and has reference more particularly to modified forms of the ceiling .construction, and ceiling constructions for the correction of. the Figs. 8, 9, and 10 are sectional elevations acoustics in a room. through the building construction taken on line I In the construction of ceilings for the purpose 8-8 of Fig. 5, line 9-9 of Fig. 6, and line |--|ti of absorbing sound and correcting acoustics in of Fig. '7 respectively. a room, it is customary to use a sound absorbing In the construction of our improved acoustical pad of fibrous material faced below with a perceiling, a fibrous pad |2 of mineral wool, hair forated metal sheet which permits the sound to felt or other desired fibrous material, is suspass through the perforations and be absorbed pended below a ceiling surface l3. Return bent 10 I in the fibrous pad. In such constructions the hanger straps l4 are secured to the ceiling I3 metal membranes should be easily erected by by means of toggle bolts l5, or other desired snapping them into place on the supporting runfasteners. Downwardly extending legs l8 are ners by an upward movement from below. It is formed on the hanger l4 and terminate in U- I also preferable to have the attaching means for shaped, opposed hooks I! which engage opposite, 15 holding the metal membranes in place, entirely upper flanges l8 of a metal beam or runner l9 free of the back face of the membrane so as not having lower outstanding flanges 20. The runner to cover up any perforations and thus make an IQ is preferably constructed of a pair of channel unsightly appearance below, as well as not to restrips with the webs thereof spot-welded toduce the sound passing efficiency of the memgether. Locking bars 2| extend across the space 20 brane. It is also desirable to reduce the amount between a pair of parallel runners l9 and terof vertical space occupied by the acoustical unit minate in hook ends 22 which engage the hanger to a minimum. legs l6 so as to force said legs together and An object of this invention, therefore, is to securely grip the runner flanges l8. The bars provide an. acoustical ceiling. comprising sound 2| also servelto support the acoustical pad I2. 25 absorbing pads faced by perforated metal mem- Sheet metal membranes 24 are suspended bebranes in which a convenient means is supplied low the runners l9 and are providedwith trifor' quickly snapping the metal membranes into angular shaped perforations 25 uniformly displace on supporting structural runners. tributed over their area. If desired, the perfora- Another object of the invention is to provide tions may be any other suitable shape such as 30 an acoustical ceiling of the class described in square, round, elliptical, etc. The membranes 24 which the. attaching means for the perforated are preferably square in shape, but may be recmetal membranes .is spaced apart from the intangular or other desired shape. Upwardly exner face of the membrane so as not to cover up tending bevels 21 are formed around the perimany of theperforations. eters of said membranes and the bevels termi- 35 A further object of the invention is to provide nate in upwardly extending flanges 28. When an acoustical ceiling construction in which the several of the membranes 24 lie with their flanges over-all height of the acoustical unit is kept to 28 in an abutting position, the bevels 21 give a a minimum; also to improve building construc pleasing tile-like appearance to the undersurface 4o tions in other respects hereinafter specified and of the ceiling.

claimed. In order to connect the membranes 24 to the Reference is to be had to 'the accompanying runners l9, we provide inwardly extending drawings forming a part of this specification, flanges 30 on two opposite edges of each memwhich brane, the flanges 3|! terminating in upwardly Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one of the perextending flanges 3| which are offset from the 45 forated membrane units, edge flanges 28 and preferably extend substan- Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation through a ceiltially vertically to the membranes 24 so as to ing construction, including the membrane unit form with the flanges 30, an L-shaped cross secshown in Fig. 1, tion. Each of the flanges 3| is provided with Fig. 3 is a sectional, perspective elevation a plurality of apertures 33, and guide flanges showing a portion of the acoustical ceiling con- 34 extend outwardly from two opposite edges of struction on a large scale, each aperture. A resilient clip 35 has one leg Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation through the ceilsecured to flange 3| by a spot-weld 3B, or other ing construction taken adjacent a vertical buildsuitable fastening device. The clip 35 is proi W ll. vided with a resilient loop 31 which terminates 6 in a spring flange 38 having an inwardly extending latching lug I9. The lug 39 is provided with a flanged cam surface 40 and a lower locking shoulder 4 I As the metal membrane 24 is moved upwardly during the erection of the ceiling, the cam surface 40 engages the lower outer edge of the runner flange 20 and is deflected inwardly until it rises above said flange, and then the lug ll snaps inwardly with the latching shoulder 4i seated snugly on top of the runner flange 20, thus securely attaching the membrane 24 to said runner ll. Adjacent the edge of a ceiling where the ceiling surface it meets a vertical wall 43, an Lshaped runner 44 is secured to the wall 43, as by nails 45. The runner 44 has an outstanding horizontal leg 46 which engages a clip on the flange 3! similar to clip 35. The runner 44 also has an ofl'set upper flange 41 which engages with a .downwardly extending lug 48 formed on the end of each of the cross bars 2|.

It will be noted that with the form of attaching clip shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the axis of the loop extends substantially vertically, and all points of the attaching clip are down below the upper edge of the flange 3|, so that the vertical space necessary for the acoustical structure is reduced to a minimum. However, if desired, the attaching clip may be turned vertically as shown in Figs. 7 and 10, in which case the axis of the clip 50 extends substantially horizontally, said clip being secured to a membrane flange 5| which is somewhat wider than the flange II. The clip III is provided with a resilient loop 52 which terminates in an outwardly inclined cam flange 53 which extends through an aperture 54 formed in the flange II. An inwardly extending latching flange 55 is formed on the lower end of the cam flange BI and serves to seat on top of one of the runner flanges 24.

In the form of construction shown in Figs. 6 and9,aflatclip llhasitsupperendthreaded betweenastruck-outstrapllandamembrane flange. Theupperpartoftheclipllhasan arcuatelockingedge'lwhichisbentoveron topofthestrapll andisheldin-placebyanarcuate, bent over, locking flange ll formed on the upper edge of the flange II. The lowerendoftheciip l'lisprovidedwithacam flange" andalatchingflangeilsimilartothose shown in Pig. 7.

In the form of device shown inl 'igs. 5 and 8, a heavywireclipllisbentintosinuousform l6 and h threaded through apertures 41 formed in a membrane flange 0!. The lower part of the clip II is provided with a cam section ll which utendsthroughanaperture 'llformedinthe flange",andsaidclipisalsoprovidedwitha latching shoulder II which seats on top of one of the runner flanges II.

We would state in conclusion that while the illmtrated examples constitute practical embodiments of our invention, we do not wish to limit ourselves precisely to these details, since manifestly, the same can be considerably varied without departing from the spirit of the invention as deflned in the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:-

I. In a building construction a metal runner having lower, outstanding flanges, a perforated metal membrane having upturned, peripheral flanges closely abutting the bottomcf said runner flanges, an offset flange formed on said membrane flange, means on said ofl'set flange for enaaaingtbetopofsaidnmnerflangesoastocoanect said membrane to said runner and a flbrous pad above said membrane.

2. In a building construction, the combination with a runner having outstanding flanges, of a perforated metal membrane, an integral outstanding flange formed on said membrane and offset from the edge of said membrane so as to embrace the outside edge of a rimner flange, a latching member secured to said oflset flange and adapted to engage said runner flange so as to detachably secure said membrane to said runner, and a sound absorbing pad associated with said membrane.

3. A perforated membrane unit having outstanding flanges formed on opposite edges thereof, an .L-shaped flange formed on one of said flanges and including an offset flange extending substantially vertically to said membrane, and means on said offset flange for detachably securing said membrane to a structural element.

4. An acoustical unit comprising a perforated, metal sheet membrane, an L-shaped flange formed on one edge of said membrane and including an offset flange extending substantially vertically to said membrane, and a resilient clip secured to said offset flange including a latch for attaching said membrane to a structural member.

- 5. An acoustical unit comprising a perforated, sheet metal membrane including an outstanding flange offset inwardly from the edge of said -membrane, and a separate attaching clip having a resiliently held latch, said clip being secured to said ofl'set flange below the top edge of said flange.

6. An acoustical unit comprising a perforated,

sheet metal membrane including an outstanding flange offset inwardly from the edge of said membrane, an attaching clip secured to saidvofl'set flange, said clip having a resilient loop having the axis thereof extending substantially parallel to the upper edge of said offset flange, and a latch on said clip for attaching said membrane to a structural member.

7. An acoustical unit comprising a perforated, sheet metal membrane including an outstanding flange offset inwardly from the edge of said membrane, an attaching clip secured to said of!- set flange, said oflset flange having an aperture, andalatchingmemberresilientlyconnectedto said clip and extending through said aperture for attaching said membrane to a structural member.

8. An acoustical unit comprising a perforated, sheet metal membrane including an outstanding flange oflset inwardly from the edge of said membrane, a strap struck out from the metal of said flange, and a resilient latching clip secured to said ofl'set flange by said strap.

9. An acoustical unit comprising a perforated. sheet metal membrane including an outstanding flange offset inwardly from the edge of said membrane, a resilient clip secured by spot welding to said offset flange. and a latching member on said clip for attaching, said membrane to a structural member.

10. An acoustical unit comprising a perforated, sheet metal membrane including an outstanding flange oflset inwardly from the edge of said membrane, an attaching clip secured to said oflset flange, said clip having a resilient loop having the axis thereof extending substantially perpendicular to the outer edge of said offset flange, and a latch on said clip for attaching said membrane to a structural member, all parts of said clip lying inwardly of the outer edge of said offset flange.

' 11. An acoustical unit comprising a perforated, sheet metal membrane including an outstanding flange ofiset inwardly from the edge of said membrane, said offset flange being provided with a plurality of apertures, a resilient wire clip threaded through said apertures for rigid engagement with said flange, and a latching member formed on said clip for engagement with a supporting structural member.

12. An acoustical unit comprising a perforated, sheet metalmembrane including an outstanding flange, an aperture being formed in said flange, guide flanges adjacent said aperture, and a resilient clip secured to said outstanding flange and having a latch member extending through said aperture adjacent said guide flanges.

13. In a membrane surface building construction, a flanged support, a membrane unit, a substantially L-shaped flange at one edge of said membrane, said flange comprising a part substantially parallel with said membrane and a part substantially perpendicular to and offset inwardly relative to said membrane edge, and a clip on said offset flange part for connecting said membrane to said flanged support, said clip engaging the upper face of a support flange and forcing the horizontal flange ,part into engagement with the lower face of said support flange.

14. In a membrane surface building construction, a plurality of parallel flange supp rts, individual membrane units in edge to edge relationship below said supports, substantially L-shaped flanges at abutting edges of said membranes, each of said flanges comprising a part substantially parallel with said membranes, and a part substantially perpendicular to and offset inward- 1y relative to said membrane edges, and clips at spaced intervals on said offset flanges for connecting said membranes to said flange supports, each of said clips engaging the upper face of a support flange and forcing the horizontal flange part of said membrane unit into engagement with the lower face of said support flange, whereby said membrane-units are maintained in close edge-to-edge relationship as well as into close engagement with said flange supports.

15. A membrane unit adapted for building construction, comprising a substantial face portion,

a flange at the edge of said face portion having an aperture therein, a resilient clip attached to the inner face of said flange, and a latching portion on said clip extending through said aperture and adapted for engagement with support means.

16. A membrane unit adapted for building construction, comprising a substantial face portion, a flange at the edge of said face portion having an aperture therein, a clip comprising a resilient loop and having one end attached to said flange, and a latching portion on the other end of said loop and extending through saidaperture and adapted for engagement with support means.

JOHN H. NOLD. FRANK L. STUBBS. 

